Adjustable brush assembly for vacuum cleaners



Sept. 25, 1951 c. H. SPARKLIN ET AL ADJUSTABLE BRUSH ASSEMBLY EUR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed April 20, 1946 Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED STATESI .Plfrlsivr oFFicE charles H. 'sparklin andA Frank s. Howard, ohicago,'Ill., assgnors tofBirtman Electric Company, a corporation of Illinois Application April 2i),` 1946,;Serial No. 663,710

This invention relates to a brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner or the like.

Floor type vacuum cleaners employ a rotatable brush to loosen dirt and other foreign material from the surface being cleaned so that the air ow caused by the motor fan unitl may pick this material up and draw it into a receiver. The bristles in the rotatable brush become worn in time and require either replacement or adjusting. When the bristles become very worn it is necessary that they be replaced. In vmany instances this requires replacing the entire brush. Various brush assemblies have been proposed Where the brush element only need be replaced, but these have been undesirable in many cases, as it was not possible to adjust the brush element to the proper position, and it was oftentimes difficult to remove the worn brush element, and replace it with a new one.

In the present invention there "is provided a rotatable brush body having a brush element held' in the body with the brush element being adjustable to any given position. As the bristles become worn the element may be adjusted to compensate for this wear,A and when a replacement is necessary the old brush element may be easily removed and a new oneinserted.

The invention will be described as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings Fig'. 1 is a plan view of the new brush assembly; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the brush assembly with portions broken away for clarity of illustration; and Fig'. 3 is a vertical section taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

VThe brush assembly comprises an elongated hollow tube IIJ of metal having caps II at each end thereof with projecting spindles I 2 in the center of the caps II for mounting the brush assembly in the cleaner. There are provided elongated slots I3 on each end of the tube I0 with the slots being on diametrically opposed sides of the tube and each slot being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube. The space between the adjacent ends of the slots serves as a hub that is adapted to be contacted by the driving belt or the like.

Each slot is arranged to hold an elongated rigid back member I 4 having brush bristles I5 along its outer edge. As shown, this back member is made of wood and has a centrally located metal plate IB on its inner edge attached to the back member by screws I1. The metal plate I6 has a threaded hole I8 therein designed to engage the threads on a threaded rod I9 which extends from the back member I4 through a hole 6 Claims. (C'l. 15-183)` 2 Y located opposite a slot I3. The threaded rod I9 is provided with a screw head 2| on its outer end,- and is also provided with a tight-fitting washer 22 adjacent the inner surface of the tube I0. The threaded rod I9 serves to retain the Y pression springs 23 adjacent each endV of the back member I4. Each compression spring is heldin a cavity 24 within the base member I4` and pushes against the inner surface of the tube I0. the back member will be held firmly in place.

The back member I4, and thus the bristles I5," may be easily adjusted relative to the tube Il) by inserting a screw driver or the like in a slot 25 in the screw head 2| and turning the threaded rod I9. This moves the back member I4 in and out of the slot I3, depending upon the direction of rotation of the rod I 9. The inner end of the rod I9 fits within a hole 26 within the back member I4.

When it is desired to replace the brushes the rod I9 is unscrewed until it comes loose from the plate I6. The back member I4 may then be removed and replaced by a new one. or collar 22 prevents losing the threaded rod.

When the brush assembly is being rotated centrifugal force will tend to hold the back member I 4 and bristles I5 in fully extended position. The compression springs 23 also serve to force the back member I4 outwardly against the restraint i of the threaded rod I9.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiment set out in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by the details of the description unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A rotatable brushV assembly for a, vacuum cleaner or the like comprising an elongated hollow tube, said tube having an elongated slot therein substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, a brush element comprising a rigid back portion located in said slot and extending into the hollow interior of said tube, said brush having spaced bristles extending from said back portion, a threaded rod'extending through an opening in the tube opposite the slot and engaging a threaded hole in the back portion at substantially the center thereof for securing the brush element in place, and compression springs These springs are relatively strong, so that The Washerv 3 adjacent each end of the back portion with each spring being held in a,- cavity in the back portion and operating against the interior surface of the tube opposite the slot, said springs urging the brush element outwardly against the restraint of said rod but permitting each end of said brush element tov-beforcedslightly inwardly of-said tube when pressure is applied thereto.

2. A brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner or the like comprising an elongated hollow tube. said tube having an elongated slot therein substantially parallel to the longitudinal'axis"ofthe tube, a brush element comprising a rigid back portion located in said slot and extending into the hollow interior of said tube,zsaidbrush having spaced bristles extending from said baclnportion, a threaded rod extendingthrough lan opening in the tube opposite the 'slot'and engaging a threaded hole in the back portion at substantially the center thereof for securing the brush lelement inplace, and compression vsprings adjacent V.each end of the back portion with each spring being held in a cavity in Athe backportion I,and operating against the interior surf-ace of .the vtube opposite the slot, said rod being provided at its outer endrwith alheadcontacting the outer surfaceof the tubeand a collanaround the'rod and substantially rigid thereon adjacent the-corresponding inner surface of the tube.

3. A rotatable brush assembly for a Vacuum cleaner or the likecomprising an elongated hollow tube, said `tube having an elongated `slot therein substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubefa brush'element comprisinga rig-id back -porltion located -insai'ol slot extending into "the hollow interior of said tube, Vsaid brush having spaced bristles extending from said back portion, a rotatable'threaded rod engageable with said back portion and the Atube at apoint opposite Lthe back portion for securing the brush element within thelslot with said threadedrod engaging a threaded hole in-said backportion, and spring means operating against the -back portion of the brush element tending to force-the brush element out through the slot,.said;.spring means comprising -a.pair of springs with each spring adjacent an end of said rigidback portion and withsaid threaded rod engaging saidback portion at-substantially-the center .thereon-said springs urging --the brush element outwardly against the restraint vof said rod but permitting each end of said brush element to belforced slightly inwardlyof said tube .when pressure is applied thereto.

4. The brush assembly of claimwherein--the 4 springs are substantially equidistant from their adjacent ends of said rigid back portion.

5. A rotatable brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner or the like comprising an elongated hollow body having a longitudinal opening therein, a brush element including a substantially rigid back portion located in s aid kopeningand movable outwardly andinwardlyin said-opening to adjust the position of the brush, said brush element `.being supported against lateral displacement'by the edges of the hollow body defining said opening, rotatable means located within said hollow body 4and adjustably connected to said back portion 4at -a .pointintermediate the ends thereof ffonadjustingf-the.position of said brush element -outwardlyand inwardly of said opening on' rota-l tion Jof said rotatable means, said rotatable means havingfan operating'part located on and contacting the exterior surface of said body on the side opposite said opening for rotating said rotatable means -and thus adjusting the position of .the brush element'outwardly and inwardly of 'said opening, and yielding means Within said hollow body Vbearingragainst said back portion and urging the brush elementoutwardly against the restraint. of said .rotatable means.

6. Thebrush'assemblyof claim 5 wherein saicl hollow body is substantially cylindrical and'said rotatable means comprises a bolt extending substantially diametrically of said body andengagr ing` said 'brush'back portion at substantially the center thereof.

CHARLES H. SPARKLIN. VlRANK'S. HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED A'Ihefollowing references are of record in the ille ofthis patent: 

